The Gaithersburg Seventh-day Adventist Church in Maryland is a vibrant Hispanic church group north of Washington DC. They are in the Potomac Conference.
Last month, at the request of the church members, the church board invited pastor Stephen Bohr from Secrets Unsealed to hold a series of meetings at their church. He accepted their invitation. The meetings are scheduled for August 16-19. Bohr recently presented a series of end-time talks at the Roanoke Church, and he was the keynote speaker for the 2023 Michigan Campmeeting.
According to multiple reports, the pastor of this church has been doing everything he can to stop Bohr from coming. He claims he is acting on behalf of the Potomac Conference.
Recent Report
“This past Sabbath (July 29th), unbeknownst to anyone, the pastor called a business meeting at 7 pm after the youth program. The meeting took place at their church: 7412 Muncaster Mill Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.
The pastor told the church that their church board is no longer valid or recognized [because] they are now in rebellion with the Potomac Conference for not canceling pastor Bohr. And if [the church members] persisted in having Bohr come, they would subsequently be dissolved and the members deleted [disfellowshipped].
On Sabbath evening he stood from the pulpit and gave the church an ultimatum. They either all comply with the [Potomac] conference and join him or they should leave the building and abandon the "official Gaithersburg" church.
Ultimately, 99% of the church stood up and left. The pastor therefore no longer recognizes any of the leaders as members and even demanded they turn over all financials within 24 hrs or face further repercussions. All this for the crime of inviting a Seventh-day Adventist minister to give presentations there.
Empty church after the members walked out. Only the pastor is left (standing) with one seated member who decided to yield to the Potomac Conference.
The church leaders [Board and Elders] have requested multiple times to meet with conference leaders but the pastor said they would not meet with the church. If they leave as a whole to another conference they have been told that they must immediately relinquish their savings/offerings to the conference.”
Stephen Bohr is still coming to Gaithersburg, as scheduled. And well he might. He is an ordained Seventh-day Adventist pastor in good and regular standing and he is invited to come and speak by Seventh-day Adventist members also in good standing.
The meeting will take place at 205 S. Summit Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.
Iglesia Adventista del Septimo Dia (Gaithersburg) Facebook page
Observations
The pastor of the Gaithersburg Church can not unilaterally declare the duly elected church board ‘dissolved.’ The church officers were properly elected and are not under local church voted discipline. They are legitimate and their vote can overrule the pastor.
To the North American Division, are you involved in this effort to cancel a Seventh-day Adventist pastor in good standing? Are you aware of this shocking demonstration of kingly power by the pastor of the Gaithersburg SDA Church?
The pastor forcing a Sabbath evening business meeting on the church and demanding an instant decision like he did is unethical and automatically invalid.
God issues His harshest warnings against shepherds who destroy the flock (Jeremiah 23:1).
Dear world-wide Seventh-day Adventist Church. Are you ok with fellow members being treated like this?
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““Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 23:1).